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A tiger in Eden by Chris Flynn

A tiger in Eden is the debut novel from Irish-Australian Chris Flynn. It follows the character of Billy, a Loyalist street fighter on the run from the police in Northern Ireland. Billy is currently residing on the beaches of Thailand where he plays the part of the stereotypical tourist – getting involved in sex, drugs and the occasional bar fight. Billy is hiding from his past and it takes a silent Buddhist retreat and a drug-fueled rave (two completely contrasting activities) to force him to face a dark secret he left at home.

While the descriptions of sex and drugs could drag a little, Billy is a colourful, likeable character and much of the story was quite funny. It’s the humorousness of the narrative that draws the reader in and made me interested in the story. When Billy does have a spiritual awakening it is done in a very down-to-Earth and at times, funny way. The novel was simple but kept my interest right to the end. Highly recommended.